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Natural Selection Quiz Practice

Total questions: 18

Worksheet time: 36mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
Which of these is an example of natural selection?
a)
The largest animal in a population will have more opportunities for reproduction.
b)
Several species of organisms work together so that they all succeed.
c)
One species takes all the resources in an environment leaving none for others.
d)
Organism that are best suited to an environment tend to survive and reproduce more often.
2.
A large herd of goats lives in a field full of poison ivy.  Some goats are able to eat the poison ivy while others have become sick when they eat it. Over time the herd as a whole will tend to
a)
Become more likely to eat poison ivy.
b)
Become less likely to eat poison ivy.
c)
Not change in the proportion of goats that can and can not eat poison ivy.
d)
Eat all the poison ivy and leave only plants all the goats can eat.
3.
Why is the mouse population changing over time?
a)
The light mice can reproduce more successfully than the dark mice
b)
The hawks eat more dark mice than light mice because the dark mice taste better
c)
The hawks eat more light mice than dark mice because they can see the light mice more easily
d)
The hawks eat more dark mice than light mice because they can see the dark mice more easily
4.

A population of rabbits grows rapidly from one year to the next. Then one year, a disease strikes approximately one fourth of the adult rabbits. The disease remains with the population in the years that follow.

As explained by Darwin’s theory, which of these conditions allows the rabbit population to evolve by natural selection?

a)

The disease affects adult and juvenile rabbits equally.

b)

The disease reduces the ability of the rabbits to reproduce.

c)

Some rabbits are resistant to the disease, and they pass the resistance to their offspring.

d)

No rabbits are resistant to the disease, and all die when the disease strikes them.

5.

What is natural selection?

a)

When reproduction occurs and mutations happen.

b)

When a offspring has the traits from its parents.

c)

When an organism is able to camoflauge in its environment.

d)

the process whereby organisms that are better adapted to their environment tend to survive and reproduce more offspring.

6.

In a cold environment what would be some adaptive traits? Sellect all that apply.

a)

thick blubber

b)

thick fur

c)

thin fur

d)

strong muscles

7.

The Asian shore crab invaded parts of the eastern coast of the United States about 15 years ago. The Asian shore crab preys on blue mussels. In the time since the Asian shore crab arrived, the average shell thickness of the blue mussel population has increased.

Which of the following is the most likely reason that this increase in shell thickness has occurred?

a)

Blue mussels with thick shells attract more crabs that mussels without thick shells.

b)

Blue mussels with thick shells grow in larger colonies than mussels without thick shells.

c)

Blue mussels with thick shells catch more food per day than mussels without thick shells.

d)

Blue mussels with thick shells survive and reproduce more successfully than mussels without thick shells.

8.
These moths are all the same species. The differences between their wings is an example of ________________
a)
Natural Selection
b)
Variation
c)
Homeostasis
d)
Extinction
9.
Darwin said that within a species there will be _________________________
a)
nothing different
b)
variation/differences
10.
What can happen to a species over time if some of the organisms have an advantage?
a)
The population will decrease
b)
The population will become extinct
c)
The population will slowly increase
11.
What is the advantage of having different shaped beaks?
a)
To look different from other species.
b)
To be able to eat the food readily available in the environment.
c)
To protect itself against predators.
d)
To protect itself against prey.
12.
Why are advantageous traits more likely to be passed onto offspring?
a)
Because they are more likely to survive and reproduce.
b)
Because they come from dominant alleles.
c)
Because they come from recessive alleles.
d)
Because the trait is an acquired phenotype.
13.

What word describes a trait that helps an organism survive in its environment?

a)

natural selection

b)

mutation

c)

camouflage

d)

adaptation

14.

If Easter eggs were living species of organisms, their different colors would be considered:

a)

Adaptations

b)

Variations

c)

Different species

d)

Extinct species

15.

If a sick person takes an antibiotic but it doesn't kill all of the bacteria causing the sickness, what might explain this?

a)

Variations in the bacteria allowed some organisms to be less affected by the antibiotic?

b)

Bacteria cannot be killed by antibiotics

c)

You cannot cure a bacterial infection

d)

Bacteria do not cause sicknesses

16.

The graphs below show the changes in crab color at one beach.

Which of the following is most likely to have caused the change in the distribution?

a)

A new predator arrived that preferred dark-tan crabs.

b)

A new predator arrived that preferred light-tan crabs.

c)

A change in beach color made medium-tan crabs the least visible to predators.

d)

A change in beach color made medium-tan crabs the most visible to predators.

17.

Which of the following best illustrates natural selection?

a)

An organism with favorable genetic variations will tend to survive and breed successfully.

b)

A population monopolizes all of the resources in its habitat, forcing other species to migrate.

c)

A community whose members work together utilizing all existing resources and migratory routes.

d)

The largest organisms in a species receive the only breeding opportunities.

18.
Modern whales developed their traits through natural selection.  What occurs during the process of natural selection?
a)
Organisms choose mates from other species to create new species
b)
Breeders selectively cross organisms with desired traits
c)
Only the fittest organisms can survive and reproduce
d)
Organisms remain exactly the same over time.